


I Know You Do

by Banne



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Fictober 2018, Missing Scene, Or platonic up to the reader, Other, Pre-Relationship, Set during the movie to fix its pacing issues a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 04:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16319564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Banne/pseuds/Banne
Summary: Set between Eddie and Venom breaking into Eddie's former job and them going with Anne, so beware slight movie spoilers.Eddie and Venom have a much needed conversation and learn to get along (a little bit).





	I Know You Do

They’d just gotten away from the building Eddie used to work in. He’d pretty much been chased out last time too, but not with guns. He allows himself to chuckle at his own joke and tries to ignore the second voice in his head laughing along.

They’d taken refuge on top of yet another building. Yay. The symbiote probably just wants to make fun of Eddie some more. This one at least had a much flatter surface to stand on, so he felt a little better about his odds of not falling off. It isn’t anything special, just a mid-rise building near the edge of downtown, but better than being caught. 

Eddie allows himself to slide down with his back against an air conditioner. He feels sick, but also powerful. Like he could take on as many men with guns as Drake can hire, but also a bit like he just ate some weird garbage chicken again. 

“Okay man. I give up. I embrace the crazy. What exactly is the deal with you and all of this?”

Weird black fluid rises up out of Eddie’s pores. It slowly forms into the same face Eddie saw in his reflection back when this had all started and had later introduced itself. 

**I already told you. I am Venom.**

The head seems superficial to Eddie. The creature – Venom – seems to speak inside of Eddie’s mind. It’s voice echoes around Eddie’s head. It was disconcerting at first, but Eddie is starting to come around to it.

Eddie shakes his head. “No. I get that bit. That whole thing where you said the city looks nice. And when you only bitched a little bit when I took the elevator. You could’ve taken over but you didn’t. Why?”

In the back of Eddie’s head, foreign discomfort prickled. 

**It is easier for us to work together. It did not seem like an important enough situation to take control from you.**

“Wait! Then why’d you take over and make me eat all that crap back at home?”

Indignation this time. The strange feelings are becoming stronger. 

**Food is important!**

For the first time since his life started crumbling around him, Eddie laughs. “Sure thing. Maybe next time we don’t eat the tater tots frozen and get fresh, not from the garbage can chicken. They taste better that way.”

Venom cocks its head. **Those things are able to taste good?** The indignation shifts quickly into intrigue. Then it shakes its head. **No. Food is sustenance. It doesn’t have to taste good.**

“Sure, but then I won’t throw up all the food I just ate. And yes, it should taste good.” Eddie pauses. “Wait. Why am I having an argument about food with the alien taking over my body? And am I feeling your emotions?” As soon as he says it, Eddie realizes that it's true.

Venom is currently a little uncomfortable with the line of questioning. Its head starts to retract back under Eddie’s skin so Eddie interrupts. “Nope. No living rent free in my body. You have to at least answer some questions. You’re embarrassed right now. What’s going on?” Even though he knows it’s probably pointless, Eddie reaches out his left hand to grab at where Venom is reabsorbing into Eddie’s right arm. As soon as he touches the symbiote the emotions become amplified. Eddie realizes that it’s the first time he’s willingly touched Venom before. He’s a little surprised at how comfortable and calm he is. Maybe because its also the first time that he’s realized he’s in Venom’s head too, in a much less literal way. 

Venom freezes at the touch and Eddie gets the distinct impression that it had never been willingly touched by a host before. Most hosts wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible, assuming Venom allowed them any control at all. 

Moving gently between Eddie’s fingers, the head re-forms. It uncharacteristically takes a few moments to compose its words before speaking carefully. The moment seems fragile to both of them, and neither wants to shatter the beginnings of trust they’re building. **Most symbiotes never find a perfect host and most do not choose to merge fully with their hosts.**

“But you’re different.”

**Yes.**

Eddie is coming to realize that as terrifying a creature as the symbiote is, it’s much easier to be sympathetic towards weird alien goo if said alien goo transmits all of its feelings directly into your head. 

“I’m a perfect host for you and you merged completely with me. So now I know how you’re feeling.”

**Yes.** Venom gives off the distinct impression it doesn’t want to say any more on the topic.

“Okay then.”

**I still desire your cooperation when the time comes for more symbiotes to come to this planet.** It’s being childish now. Stubbornly insisting on one thing in order to get Eddie to stop talking about uncomfortable subjects. 

Eddie allows himself to rise to the bait. “I know you do. I’ll be first in line kneeling before my new alien overlords when the time comes.”

**Thank you.** Venom replies sarcastically. **You will be allowed the finest frozen tater tots your planet has to offer in return.**

“Hey!” Eddie laughs and playfully shoves at Venom’s head. “At least heat them up for me! If I’m still your host then I demand proper food as the body of an alien overlord.”

Venom butts up against Eddie’s fingers in retaliation. 

**Yes, of course. Anything for the favoured human.**

“Oh, so I’m your favourite human now, huh?”

Venom slides through Eddie’s skin to his chest and forms a larger head. The playful attitude from a moment ago is gone. It hisses through large teeth, but the voice still comes from within Eddie’s mind. 

**You are a host. You are replaceable.**

“You’re lying.” Once again, as Eddie says the words he knows they’re true. Venom is lying. Venom cares for him, at least to some degree. He’s not nearly as disposable as Venom tries to convince itself. “You actually want me as a host.”

Venom doesn’t move. It’s indecisive and unsure of how to respond to Eddie’s line of questioning. 

**You are highly compatible with me. It would be difficult to find a more suitable host.**

That’s not the whole truth either, but Eddie accepts it. “Okay. Fine. I can’t get rid of you and you don’t want to get rid of me. And I guess you’re tolerable enough when you’re not forcing me to eat weird things. Like people, for instance.”

**They provide us with energy. They are food.**

“Venom. I’m a people. People aren’t food.” 

Even though Venom’s mouth still looks like its smiling, Eddie knows that if it was capable of any other facial expression it would be pouting. Before Venom can protest more, Eddie cuts it off. “You know, if you ever decide you don’t want to be an evil alien overlord to my planet, I think I just might be able to get over my fear of heights. Being Venom together… It felt good.”

The pout changes into a smirk as soon as Eddie admits he doesn’t quite hate having a symbiote. 

**It did. It will be even better for us when you cooperate and do not scream like a small child every time we jump.**

“I do not!” Venom is laughing at him now. “I scream like a grown-ass man, thank you very much you damn-” The symbiote pushing towards Eddie’s face convinces him not to finish that insult. Eddie’s hands reach out to hold back its face and the comfort of touching Venom returns. 

**Our link is stronger this way.**

“Eddie! I know you’re around here! Where’d you go?” Anne. What’s Anne doing here? 

Hearing Anne as well, Venom melts back into Eddie’s skin as if it was never there. As if their conversation hadn't been going somewhere. Eddie can still feel a presence inside his chest and at the back of his mind though. He gets up from his spot by the air conditioner and yells down, “We’re up here! Hold on, I’m coming down now.”

**There’s no elevator for you this time.**

“Yeah I know. You win this one. Get us down.”

Neither Eddie nor Venom realize that going with Anne will lead to some uncomfortable realizations for both of them, their separation, and eventually, saving the world.

**Author's Note:**

> The movie has awful pacing but I like the story elements. I might write a long fic some day with an AU of how I think things should have gone. 
> 
> If you're interested in that, let me know!


End file.
